Managerial Carrots and Sticks: Encouraging Strategy Implementation

Article excerpt

CASE DESCRIPTION

This case addresses many strategic management issues. Selected issues related to the formulation and implementation of both low cost and differentiation strategies are illustrated. The importance of lower level managers embracing their company's strategy and showing initiative to implement that strategy is also highlighted. The case illustrates the importance of having these managers understand and recognize the need to use informational resources available within an organization to objectively assess their area of responsibility in the context of strategy implementation and gives examples of how they can act constructively based on that information. Other topics include a discussion of challenges in transitioning from the role of college student to employee and from employee to manager. The case also provides students with a perspective as to how they might be evaluated by their superiors once they are employed as managers. The case has a difficulty level appropriate for senior level and graduate level students in strategic management courses. The case is designed to be taught in 1-2 class hours and is expected to require 3 hours of outside preparation by students.

CASE SYNOPSIS

The case chronicles the strategic evolution of a fictitious privately held small local company that grew to become a midsize regional sporting goods retailer. …